Brothers,
As a follow-up to our viewing of Peaceful Warrior, I would like you to type a three paragraph reflection that answers the following in complete sentences. Please be thorough in your review, referring to specific scenes, incidents, and characters where necessary.
1. First of all, what was your overall reaction to the film? Explain in detail. Also, feel free to interpret various images or themes as presented in the film.
2. What are three lessons you learned by watching the film? Explain in detail.
3. How does the film relate to a specific theme we've discussed regarding the various prophets. Give one example in which you relate one message in the film to a specific message given by a specific prophet. Be sure to quote the biblical passage that relates to the message in the film.
If you have anything else that you would like to add in reflection on the meaning of the film, please do so.
This assignment is Due: Friday, April 4 by class time. It must be typed or submitted to the blog. If you type, please use 12 pt. Georgia font.
Your heading should be as follows:
Your Name
Bro. Rob Peach FSC
REL 011.Section Number (2, 3, or 9)
4 April 2008
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6 comments:
Matthew Kizior
Bro. Rob Peach, FSC
Rel 011.9
April 4th, 2008
I thought of the film as very good and clear in the message that it meant to send. The movie sends a clear message that the world around us is much more profound and deeper than we think it to be at times. The wisdom that Dan had gained from Socrates and his new outlook on the world greatly varies with that of his friend and the other people that he knows. He threw off his darkness to realize what true clarity of mind and body were, while the people he knows seem to have their sight clouded by the darknesses that envelope each of them. The movie brings to mind the different paths that lead to the one truth, and how each individual path needs to be taken by each indvidual person so thatthey may finally realize that ultimate truth.
The three lessons I learned by watching the film were these:
1. The path to truth can be one of the most mysterious
2.That darkness is part of all of us.
3. That we are one small part in a mysterious universe
I learned the first lesson from looking at the relationship between Dan and Socrates. I noticed Socrates was a very different portrayal of the way to truth than usually shown. Even though he may represent the sage of the archetypal story of the hero, he was also a metaphor for our conscience. In this, I mean that if we listen to the wisdom of our conscience we may find our way to the truth.
The second lesson comes fom the clocktower scene where Dan threw off his dark side to fully become immersed in the side of him that accepts wisdom and understanding. This helps us realize that there is a dark side and a light side to us that helps balance us out like yin and yang. Though the point of the clocktower scene is to help us understand that there is a way to balance our spirit with just the goodness that is inside of us.
The final lesson came to me when Socrates led Dan on the hike, where Socrates told Dan he didn't know what they were going to find. This should help us realize that, just like the rock that Dan held, we are simply one piece of the puzzle that makes up the beauty of the universe. Our job as a piece of this puzzle is to help bring equilibrium and enlightenment to those around us as to help us realize our greater purpose.
The unifying theme between the story of the prophets and the movie about Dan is the story of the inner struggle. Phrophets like Jeremiah question why God called them and why they had to suffer for it. This is also like the prophet Hosea who suffered the loss of his wife to understand the feelings of God. Dan also has to suffer with his inner, darker self. He has to learn to live for the higher purpose, not for himself. This is also like the suffering servant, the one Second Isaiah describes as suffering for Israel. Dan has to learn to be strong not just for himself, but for the people whom he loves.
He was wounded for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities; by his bruises we are healed.
Isaiah 53:5
R. Scott
Bro. Rob Peach, FSC
Rel 011.9
April 4th, 2008
To me the film was educational. I think that it showed how to live a better life in many ways. When I think of this film, an image that comes to my mind is the motorcycle accident. This crash represents a time of hardship in life.
After watching the film, there are many lessons that could have been learned. The most meaningful lessons I learned from the film are (1) live the moment, (2) be aware, and (3) always be open minded.
To live the moment means to think of life how it is and not how you think it should/could be. This lesson also ties in with the next one because when living the moment, you need focus on what is happening now. Being aware is knowing that there is always something going on. The last lesson, always be open minded, is not directly stated but inferred. I think of this as not only living in the now but accepting it how it is.
The film relates to a prophetic theme of hope because hope is needed to continually practice and get better at something. In the film there is a message of always keep trying. This message also occurs in the Bible as shown below.
Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.
( James 1:12 )
Brandon Perrotte
Bro. Rob Peach FSC
Rel 011 Section 9
4, April 2008
I thought that the film was very detailed in the way that it described the trouble that we face in life. It was not the kind of external trouble that we deal with but internal trouble, mental trash that Dan, the main, character of the film, had to rid his mind of. He realized that he was being hindered by his own drive to compete and to win. He was not motivating himself but stopping himself from achieving his goal by putiing too much pride on himself. The movie instructs in a delicate yet exciting manner, how to rid the garbage from our minds and not to precisely plan our lives for a single destination because you take more away from the journey. The three lessons that I derived from the film were:
1. Life is a surprise not a playbook. You shouldn't read it and go. Expect the unexpected.
2. We all have some trash to take out.
3. We all must submit to change and accept the fact that we must change as well to reach our fullest potential.
The first lesson is a lesson that is taught in every prophetic book. It explains that you should not just go by a certain set of idealic beliefs. You should not be lorded over as the people were when they were oppressed by the Babylonians. They realized this and prayed to their lord for salvation. They were too expectant and dependant of help from idols but then turned to God finding him as the ultimate consolation and salvation. The second lesson teaches that we all need to rid our minds of unnecessary thoughts that have no place in our minds. If we live in the past then we will never properly experience the present. The third lesson that I learned is one that relates to Jeremiah and his calling. Jeremiah had no intention to be a prophet yet he was suddenly called by God to take up this mission. He claimed that he was too young but he submitted to change and was looked on in favor by God.
Mike Degener
Bro. Rob Peach, FSC
Rel 011.9
April 3rd, 2008
I thought that this filmed taught a vary good message. The message that this movie taught is that the world does not evolve just around you. When I think off the movie I picture the motorcycle accident. The accident was a timer of hardship that Dan had to fight through.
Three lessons that I learned in the movie is (1)to live in the moment, (2)be empty minded, and (3)to accept change.
To live the moment means to worry about what is happening now in present and not to worry about the past or future. Be empty minded means to always think of what is happening around and not to think about what is going to happen. It could also mean not to think at all and just go with the flow. To accept change means that everything doesn't always go how you want it, you just might have to do what you are told.
The theme between the movie and a story of a prophet is to always try and never give up. In the movie after Dans motorcycle accident, he always tried to get better than he was before, which he accomplished as you saw at the end of the movie. The prophet Jeremiah thought he was to young but he still tried to be a prophet when God called him to be one.
Ryan Meder
Bro. Rob Peach, FSC
Rel 011.9
April 4, 2008
Initially the movie struck me as a retelling of The Karate Kid, with a young athlete being trained by a wise older mentor while conditioning more through the mind than physically. However, as the movie progressed I saw how they could be considered exact opposites of each other. In the Karate Kid, the mentor and the main character’s goal was to win the competition, but in Peaceful Warrior, the goal was discovering the process, not the outcome. For this reason, the movie struck me as unique compared to all other sports movies.
One of the lessons taught in the film was those who need love the most are the hardest to love. I thought it was portrayed in an excellent manner through the muggers and really made me appreciate the validity of the statement. The ones who are the hardest to love probably have not experienced the kind that you have, and therefore do not know how to spread it.
Another of the lessons in the movie was to live in the moment. This lesson really relates to my life in that I often find myself worrying about what is to come in the future or regretting what I have done in the past instead of accepting what has happened and that the only way to strive for the future is to live life to the fullest in the present.
A third lesson was that happiness does not come from the achievement, but from the journey. This lesson struck me in ways all the others did not because I hade never really considered it before. I find it to be very true because if one was to simply win without effort or sacrifice, life really would be too plain. It would be like defeating a young child in a game of tic- tac-toe. If you win, you don’t feel like you’ve really accomplished anything. However, with a long, hard-fought journey, you learn to appreciate what you have done.
I thought that this movie related to Ezekiel in some ways. In Peaceful Warrior, Dan uses Socrates mind clearing advice to “take out the trash,” but then disregards it in his actions after his routine on the pommel horse. I found this to be similar to Ezekiel 4:1-8 when Ezekiel tells the people that God will not come charging in to save them from the Babylonians. In both, the people/Dan believe that God/the state of mind is some sort of trick that they can use when they need it, then forget about it when it is inconvenient. However, God/the state of mind is a lifestyle, not only a temporary resource.
I enjoyed the film and thought it was a good example of both a battle between others and yourself. Also that you cant just depend on yourself but you need others to help and guide you.
Three lessons i learned from the film are...
1.Nothing is constant
2.You cant understand the world.
3.Push through all the time physically and mentally.\
I can never stay the same and most things wont go my way. i need to be ready for anything and accept them as whtat they are. since the world is so large and ever changing, i will never be able to understand it. I should try instead to understand my self.And never give up and try to persevere through every obstacle.
Well......the prophets all have the message of have faith and turn back to god. But one prophet, jeremiah who thought he was too young, pushed through and gave God's message to the people.
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